


The Future Earth King and Fire Lord

by old_and_new_friends



Series: Rare Pair Challenge Fics [2]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Break Up, Childhood Friends, Childhood Sweethearts, Forbidden Love, Getting Back Together, M/M, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:48:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29736183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/old_and_new_friends/pseuds/old_and_new_friends
Summary: If you dug from the center of the Fire Nation Palace gardens, straight through the earth, you'd end up in the Earth King's throne room.Iroh wished it were that simple, but neither he nor Wu were earthbenders.
Relationships: Iroh II/Prince Wu (Avatar)
Series: Rare Pair Challenge Fics [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2168028
Kudos: 4
Collections: 2021 Avatar Pro-Shipping Rare Pair Challenge





	The Future Earth King and Fire Lord

**Author's Note:**

> Don't ask me. This started because I shipped Wuko and Makroh and then when making WuMakroh as a ploy relationship I fell in love with my headcanons of how Wu and Iroh's relationship would look.
> 
> Written for the prompt of Forbidden Love.

Iroh woke with the sun, but for once the huge ball of fire didn't invigorate him enough to get out of bed.

He had been struggling like this every morning since the week before, when his boyfriend had broken up with him.

Iroh had known it was coming. In fact, he had known it was coming since they had started dating. It wasn't something either of them could avoid, but they had wanted to ride out what they had together.

Iroh thought they would have more time, in fact he was hoping they would be able to have a lifetime together in one way or another.

Iroh's mother had only taken the throne herself a few years back and his boyfriend's mother hadn't even taken the throne at all from his great aunt yet. Logistically, the possibility of the crown skipping both of them was there.

They didn't account for the Red Lotus though. 

No one had.

With the death of the Earth Queen, as well as Wu's parents, the young prince had been thrust from second in line to King awaiting his coronation.

The only silver lining for Iroh, had been the chaos in the Earth Kingdom. As cruel as the idea was, so long as Kuvira was still piecing the country back together, Wu wouldn't be King and there would be no conflict of interest in the two of them still dating.

It had given them an extra three years, but now even that drew to an end. Today, Wu would be crowned Earth King and Iroh would lose the love of his life.

He rolled over and buried his face into his pillow at the idea.

He had never meant to fall in love with his best friend. Spirits, he had never even meant for Wu to be his best friend.

It has started innocently enough, with his mom introducing him to the younger prince so the two wouldn't be bored while the adults talked politics.

Iroh hadn't thought much of the other boy. He was two years younger, but then so was Iroh's sister, so Iroh hadn't objected to playing with him.

They stayed friends and after several more meetings, the two started exchanging letters.

Iroh could recall one that Wu had sent him when Iroh was fourteen and his feelings were drifting from friendship into a very embarrassing crush. Wu had written about a saying from when Caldera City's palace was first being built. 

If you dug from the center of the Fire Nation Palace gardens, straight through the earth, you'd end up in the Earth King's throne room.

Iroh wished it were that simple, but neither he nor Wu were earthbenders.

His crush had grown shortly after. The next time the two boys saw each other had been marked by Iroh, desperately pinning, accidentally kissing the other.

He had nearly run off in embarrassment, but Wu had held him back. They had gone from childhood friends to boyfriends that day and neither had let go since.

Well, not until now anyway.

Wu had been his first kiss, his first boyfriend, his first love and his first everything. In fact, Wu had been his only and vise versa.

Iroh finally dragged himself from his bed and into the bathroom. He tried to make himself smile in the mirror but it trembled and Iroh gave up.

He dressed methodically, only slipping up when he reached for a cologne he had been trying not to wear. The smell spread through the bathroom and Iroh nearly dropped the bottle.

He hadn't smelled it in two weeks but he knew the scent by heart.

It had been Wu's signature smell at the time when Iroh first shipped off to the United Forces. The two had no clue when they would next see each other but both had decided to continue dating anyway. Wu had given the bottle to Iroh as a way to remember him and Iroh had been wearing it since, even as Wu had long since switched scents himself.

It was too late to change it now, so Iroh took a deep breath before leaving the bathroom.

He paused with his hand on the door to his apartment and tried with everything to build up his courage to go to the coronation. He needed to be there, if not for his job than simply for Wu.

Iroh released the door knob and fell back onto his sofa. He was early anyway. He had time.

As he sat staring off into space, a tear rolled down the side of his face and he remembered with clarity that night two weeks ago.

"Iroh, firecracker," Wu had said softly. A tone almost foreign when it came to the boisterous man. "We knew this was coming. Please don't cry, you'll make me cry."

"I know," Iroh has replied gruffly. "I just hoped we had more time. I love you."

"I love you too, firecracker and we had a great run," Wu said, "but it's over. Even if we don't want it to be."

Iroh had nodded. Knowing there was no undoing the circumstances of their births.

Wu had kissed him then and Iroh had to stop himself from leaning into the other man.

"Take care of yourself, Iroh," Wu said. "Find a fancy dame or a handsome lad and be happy."

Iroh made no such promises, and left shortly after.

This would be the first time Iroh would see Wu after their break up. Iroh didn't think he could do it, but there wasn't really a choice.

He made it to the coronation at the last second, slipping into his seat beside the other United Forces delegates.

Maybe it was selfish, no it was certainly selfish, and with it came no guarantee of them getting back together, but when the coronation went sideways, Iroh was sure he was the only one who gave a sigh of relief.

He didn't stay relieved long as Republic City was drawn into war. It was a rather stressful week but eventually the dust settled, even if Iroh himself hadn't done anything.

A few weeks later Iroh for some reason ended up with an invite to Varrick's wedding to his assistant. He had nearly bailed, but his mother forced his hand as she couldn't attend.

Iroh sighed deeply as he stood by the doors leading to the outside. Events like this used to be tolerable as he had always had Wu by his side. Now, it was unbearably boring.

"Hey, firecracker, want to dance?"

Iroh's spine straightened as he turned to face Wu for the first time since the coronation. It was the first thing Wu had said to him post-breakup and Iroh wished it had been anything else.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Iroh said, trying to preserve whatever of his heart remained.

"Come on," Wu said. "I have something I want to tell you."

Iroh sighed but caved as he always did to Wu's whims. They moved about the dance floor with no issue, having danced together many times before.

"I'm abdicating," Wu said.

Iroh nearly stumbled at that.

"What?" Iroh asked. He ran the words through his head. The two had once whispered the idea at night where they could only be heard between the two of them. They had decided against it so long ago, that Iroh was surprised to hear the statement now in a public area.

"Abdication?" Wu said. "When one gives up their throne? I'm thinking the Earth Kingdom might look good in democracy."

Iroh was at a loss for words.

"But, what?" Iroh said.

Wu smiled up at him before gently kissing him. It was the first time they had done so in public.

"Hey, so I just came out of the best relationship ever," Wu said, "want to be my rebound?"

Iroh could do nothing but agree.

**Author's Note:**

> Is it forbidden love if they still get to be together? Maybe not, but who cares!


End file.
